Whew, it's been awhile.

It's been a long time since I've checked in. I'm now just 3 lbs. away from my goal weight, but I can tell that losing those last few pounds is going to be a struggle! I think it's partly because I'm happy where I'm at; therefore, it's harder to stay motivated. My body also seems to be happy at this weight and I'm guessing that my metabolism is leveling out a bit. So, my plan is to exercise more and focus on eating good, clean healthy foods.

At this stage of my journey, I believe it's just as important, if not more important, to celebrate my "non-scale victories." These include:
- Learning to pick myself up when I've fallen off the wagon, so to speak
- Being fully satisfied with less food
- Breaking the bad habits that led to my weight gain, like snacking too much
- Learning what a realistic portion size looks like
- Finding new healthy foods that I enjoy. Who doesn't love that?
- Craving spinach and greens (I used to hate salad!)
- Learning how to enjoy treats in moderation. I think I actually enjoy sweets more now because they're truly an indulgence rather than an everyday thing.
- Slowly building a good fitness base. It's not unusual for me to do an hour-long workout a few times a week. I didn't realize I was capable of that.
- Being able to comfortably fit into clothes I'd outgrown.
- Feeling more energetic
- Figuring out lower-calorie substitutes for some of my favorite foods. For example, I've figured out that a skinny latte tastes just as good as the full-fat variety.
- Realizing that what I put in my mouth has a huge impact on how I feel. Physically, I feel so much better when I'm eating wholesome, healthy food.
- My palate is more refined. I still have a sweet tooth, but I don't crave sugar as much as I used to.
- Finding new recipes to enjoy
- Learning to not beat myself up for having a bad day when I slip up. Instead of saying, "Forget it, I've already blown it today anyway!" I'm able to pick myself up, put down the cookie, and move on.
- Learning that I don't need to eat treats just because they're available. This is crucial in an office setting where people are constantly bringing in bagels, donuts, etc. Sometimes I indulge, but if I don't love it, I don't waste the calories on it.
- Learning to stop when I feel full
- I used to be a binge snacker. Now that I'm aware just how many calories are in those seemingly small bites of everything, I don't do that anymore.
- REGAINING HEALTH AND HAPPINESS. Between weight gain and having mono, early 2008 marked the unhealthiest time of my life. By the end of the year, I should be the healthiest I've ever been.

To keep myself motivated, I'm setting some weekly goals for myself:
- Run three times and schedule two additional smaller workouts.
- Remember to take my multivitamin every day. It's such an easy thing to do, but I seem to have a hard time with this. :)